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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719204">Marionettes &amp; Mascara</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filius_Adversarii/pseuds/Filius_Adversarii'>Filius_Adversarii</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, idk its been a while, just a fic i started a really long time ago, probs not gonna finish who knows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:26:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,580</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719204</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filius_Adversarii/pseuds/Filius_Adversarii</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruh...you get what you get at this point. I tried formatting but ummm...good luck babes ;)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miraculous Fic: Adrienette?<br/>
Setting: During Chameleon<br/>
Inspiration: Mascara – Niykee Heaton<br/>
</p>
<p>Marinette was going to be late. She knew she had to get to class, but she wanted today to be perfect. She had heard that there could be a knew seating chart and she was counting on Alya to ensure her a spot near or, preferably next to, Adrien.<br/>
Blushing, Marinette pushed away the thoughts of the gorgeous blonde as she gazed into her mirror one last time before she hurried off to school.<br/>
“Is it too much, Tikki? What if people think I look weird,” Marinette, glancing over from her made-up reflection to her kwami. She was spiraling fast and couldn’t think straight.<br/>
“Marinette, you look fantastic! Anyone who says anything bad about how you look can only be jealous,” came Tikki’s response, slightly muffled by the large chocolate chip cookie she was currently chowing down on. Crumbs fell everywhere over Marinette’s otherwise clean vanity. “Besides, it’s only mascara. And everyone else’s opinions shouldn’t matter, just yours. You can’t base your opinion of yourself on what others think, or you’ll end up never being happy with yourself as you are.”<br/>
At these words, Marinette glanced up and made eye contact with her beloved friend and partner. “Thank you, Tikki. I guess I was just letting everything get to my head. Besides, I really only care about one person’s opinion…”<br/>
Immediately, Marinette was caught up in her imagination of how life would be if she and Adrien ever got married. She would be working full-time to establish her brand as a top designer in the world, while Adrien would model her designs and inspire many of her new designs. After they had made it, they would settle down and make their home in Paris, where Marinette could manage her brand and maybe a boutique of her own as well. She could already see their three beautiful children and the family’s pet hamsters. Perhaps they’d all flourish in their academics-<br/>
“-ette! MARINETTE! Snap out of it, Marinette, you’re going to be late if you don’t leave soon,” came Tikki’s voice, breaking her out of her dream-like trance.<br/>
“Oh right, thanks Tikki,” Marinette exclaimed. Everything would be pointless if she couldn’t even make it to school on time. Quickly, Marinette added an extra coat of the mascara she borrowed from her maman, giving herself one last once-over in the mirror.<br/>
Marinette practically jumped through the trap door to the attic to the next floor, and then ran at top speed down the other flights, almost barreling head first into her waiting parents in the lower bakery.<br/>
“Really, Marinette,” Tom started, “you need to try to be more on time. Any more tardiness to school and you might have to serve detentions.” He pulled out his best fatherly look, leveling his daughter with it.<br/>
“I know, Papa, I know. I promise to be ready on time more often,” Marinette sighed, standing on her tip toes to peck him on the cheek. Turning quickly to her mother, she slipped the tube of mascara back to her while pressing a kiss to her cheek as well.<br/>
“Your father’s right, dumpling,” Sabine says, slipping the mascara into her apron pocket. “Now hurry, before you’re actually tardy.” Sabine turned quickly, snatching up a croissant from where it lay with the rest of the batch. She pressed it into her daughter’s hands before shooing her out the door.<br/>
Outside, Marinette sprinted like the very hounds of hell were at her heels. Making it to school in record time and with the croissant still intact, she stopped to finally catch her breath. “Good thing I’ve been getting so much exercise from all the recent akuma activity,” Marinette whispered to herself as she walked the rest of the way to class.<br/>
“That’s one way to look at it, I guess,” came an oh-so-familiar voice from beside her.<br/>
Looking up, Marinette came face to face with none other than Adrien Agreste, her current crush.<br/>
“Oh, uh Adrien! So see to good you! Errr, good see to you! Umm, I…didn’t see you there,” Marinette eked out, heavily blushing and panicking at Adrien’s close proximity.<br/>
“Good morning, Marinette, it’s nice to see you, too,” Adrien replied easily, giving her a smile that filled her with sunshine. “We’d better hurry inside, before Mlle. Bustier arrives.”<br/>
“Oh uh, right, yeah we should get in there,” Marinette agreed, dying inside from her awkwardness around her crush. Hastily, she walked through the door which Adrien was holding open for her now, only blushing a little bit when her shoulder lightly brushed against his chest. ‘Oh, Adrien, please like me back.’<br/>
As soon as she was fully in the door she was confronted with a large crowd blocking the way to her usual seat. Spotting Alya already seated next to Nino where Nino and Adrien usually sat, she excitedly pushed her way along the outskirts of the gathering, practically leaping into her best friend’s lap. “Thank you thank you thank you! Alya, you’re the best! How did you manage to get the seating chart with me next to Adrien?”<br/>
A confused look fell across Alya’s face. “Girl, what do you mean? You’re not sitting next to Adrien; your seat’s back there.” Alya pointed all the way to the back of the classroom where a lone desk stood, no table partner in sight. “Didn’t you get my messages?” Concern was laced into her voice and Marinette immediately yanked her phone from her pocket, noticing all the missed texts from Alya.<br/>
“Wait, then who’s sitting next to Adr…” Marinette trailed off as she scrolled to the beginning of a volley of texts that Alya had sent her apparently right as she was leaving the house. A name popped out at her from her phone’s screen, a name that she hoped she would never have to see or hear again. “Wait, Alya, you can’t mean that-“<br/>
“Hello and good morning class!” Mlle. Bustier gracefully entered the room, leaving the door ajar in her wake. “I hope every one of you is ready for a day full of learning. But first, allow me to introduce an old face that you all should remember.” She gestured to the opened door, and, on cue, a nightmare burst through.<br/>
“Hey, everyone! It’s been too long, I’ve missed you all so much!”<br/>
“Lila,” Marinette whispered in shock. Turning towards Alya but keeping her eyes turned on the serial liar, Marinette asked under her breath, “What is she doing here? She left school, so why is she back?”<br/>
“Relax, girl. I don’t understand why you’ve got a problem with her, she’s totally the nicest.” Alya was rolling her eyes at her when Lila’s saccharine voice made its way Marinette’s ears.<br/>
“…so yeah, I have tinnitus from saving Jagged Stone’s kitten on a runway, so now I’ll have to sit up front next to Adrien.” The false pitiful look on her face looked so real, Marinette almost believed it herself. Almost. But she was already too aware of how easily Lila was able to manipulate others.<br/>
“Lila,” Marinette called from where she stood by Alya’s new seat. “Jagged Stone doesn’t have a kitten. He has an alligator.” Her deadpan cut through any noise in the class and all turned to see Lila’s response.<br/>
“Well, yeah, he doesn’t have one now, but he used to have one before he found out about his allergy to cats.” Leaving no room for Marinette to interject again, Lila immediately turned to Adrien, continuing, “The best part is, since you’re such a great student, you can help me catch up on all that I’ve missed since I’ve been gone.”<br/>
Adrien offered a friendly smile and leaned away from Lila when she got a little too close for comfort. “Uh, sure Lila, I’d be happy to help. Thing is, I’ve got a super busy schedule, so I don’t really know if I’ll be free often enough to actually be of any use.”<br/>
Seeing the way Adrien was shying away from her, Marinette jumped in. “Mlle. Bustier, why do I have to sit in the back?”<br/>
Mlle. Bustier gave Marinette a smile. “Marinette, I know this may seem unfair, but when people have hearing or seeing problems, we have to make accommodations for them. Unless you also are having a problem hearing or seeing from the back, sitting at the back of the classroom shouldn’t be too much of a problem, right?”<br/>
Marinette shook her head slowly, and resigned herself to her lonely seat, away from any of her friends. She glanced at Alya, hoping to at least catch her gaze, but her best friend was too busy whispering quietly with her boyfriend to notice Marinette. She sighed and began pulling her things out of her bag, missing both the triumphant smirk Lila sent her way and the smile full of pity that Adrien offered her way. “At least Chloe’s not here to rub it in,” Marinette muttered.<br/>
As she reached for her phone in her purse, she felt a small yet warm hand touch her finger lightly. Glancing down, she found Tikki giving her a smile.<br/>
“Everything’s going to be alright, Marinette. You’re not alone,” the kwami squeaked silently.<br/>
Marinette smiled big and gave Tikki a little pat on the head. “Thanks, Tikki.” And with that, the first part of Marinette’s worst day of school started.<br/>
Later at lunch, Alya went along with their usual routine, unaware of how Marinette was feeling a little miffed and betrayed.<br/>
“Girl, sitting next to Nino is the best! I’m so excited for next period; Nino and I have been passing notes all morning! This is probably my favorite seating chart.” Alya directed the conversation and Marinette over towards their usual table, but Marinette practically froze when she saw who sat waiting with all of Marinette’s typical table troop.<br/>
“Uhhm, hey, Alya, why don’t we go sit outside today, just the two of us,” Marinette suggested quickly. “It’s so nice out and we haven’t gotten to talk all morning-“<br/>
“Marinette are we really going to do this,” Alya interrupted exasperatedly. “I don’t understand what your problem with Lila is, she’s super nice! Not to mention, kinda famous since she knows Jagged Stone.”<br/>
“Alya, I don’t trust her. I’ve been a fan of Jagged Stone for so long, and there has never, ever, been any information about him having a pet kitten ever. Somehow I really doubt she has tinnitus or that hand issue she was talking about earlier. And while we’re on the topic of her lying, she doesn’t even know Ladybug!”<br/>
Sighing, Alya gave her friend her best mom glare. “Girl, you can’t just accuse people without proof. A good investigative journalist gathers all of her sources and has them together.” Pausing to eat a fry, Alya chomped while still holding her look at Marinette. “Where are your sources that prove she’s a liar?”<br/>
All of a sudden, Marinette remembered that the one who actually knew about Lila lying was Ladybug, and she couldn’t risk exposing herself to the progenitor of the Lady-blog. “Um, well I…you see it’s just-“<br/>
“Marinette, if you don’t have proof, then I can’t trust that. Look, I think you’re just being jealous of Lila getting to close to a certain someone~,” she sing-songed as she gestured towards Lila’s arm linked with Adrien’s.”<br/>
“Alya! I’m not jealous, you know that! I was even helping Adrien on his date with Kagami at the ice rink. There’s no way!” Marinette had to admit, she was kind of pissed. Not only did her best friend not believe her, but now she was also accusing her of being jealous! “You know what, I will prove it.”<br/>
Turning fully towards Lila, she bunched up her napkin and wound up to throw it. “Hey Lila, I think you forgot your napkin!” As soon as Lila looked her way, she hurled the projectile with deadly accuracy right at Lila’s face.<br/>
Just before the napkin could make contact, Lila snatched it from the air with the very hand she claimed to have a medical issue.<br/>
“Ha, it’s just as I thought,” Marinette called aloud for everyone from class to hear. “You told everyone you couldn’t use that hand, but you just caught that napkin.”<br/>
A dangerous glint appeared in Lila’s eye, one that only Marinette saw. Then the sniffling started. Instead of responding to Marinette, Lila turned towards Max, who was sitting on her left, practically sobbing. “I’m really not supposed to use my hand so strenuously but, on a trip to Tibet with my parents, I learned that a napkin could cut someone’s eye like it was nothing. Max, it was headed straight for your eye, I couldn’t just let you get hurt like that!” By now Lila seemed inconsolable, and everyone was unclear if the tears were from pain or from being so worried about the safety of Max’s eye.<br/>
Immediately, everyone seemed to drop what they were doing and come to Lila’s defense, even Rose. “Marinette, that wasn’t very nice of you,” the soft-spoken girl stated, doing her best to send a harsh glare Marinette’s way. Though she was ultimately unable to form the harsh glare, Marinette could understand the intent.<br/>
Marinette didn’t know what to do. She was completely shocked at everyone buying into Lila’s lies. Everyone was now glaring and muttering about her in the lunchroom. She was about to turn tail and run for the nearest exit when the most unlikely person spoke up.<br/>
“You guys, I’m sure Marinette wasn’t trying to be mean,” Lila offered sweetly. “I understand that having me back around is somewhat difficult, and I’m sorry for all the problems I seem to be causing. Maybe it would be for the best if I just started travelling with my parents and never come back…” Her words dissolved into sniffles an immediately, everyone moved to comfort her.<br/>
“But we don’t want you to go, Lila,” Kim practically shouted.<br/>
“School wouldn’t be the same without you,” Alix added.<br/>
Even Alya spoke up for Lila remaining at school. “Lila, your interview about your and Ladybug’s friendship skyrocketed my views! There’s no way you can go, we’ll all miss you.”<br/>
Lila’s face was buried in her hands as the shaking of her shoulders slowly subsided and her mini-sobs died down. “Thank you all so much, I really appreciate all the nice things everyone’s saying about me.” Her words were muffled by the hands kept firmly over her face. Unknown to everyone, those hands hid her sinister smirk as she slowly tore Marinette’s friends right from the baker’s daughter’s grasp. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the restroom. Thank you all again, I’ll see you when lunch is over.”<br/>
Marinette watched as Lila slipped away into the restroom and decided that, perhaps she could talk to Lila, one on one like when Ladybug confronted Volpina. Her mind made up, she hastily ate her now cold lunch standing up and followed after the liar, discarding her tray on the way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Lila, are you in here?” Marinette’s voice echoed somewhat through the school bathroom. Currently, Marinette had her head poked just through the door, trying to ascertain whether the liar was actually in the bathroom anymore. “It’s Marinette. I was hoping we could talk.”<br/>“Marinette, so good of you to come after me,” Lila exclaimed, looking away from the mirror and turning towards the door. Her hands capped a tube of lipstick that she then easily stored away in her purse.<br/>Marinette stepped fully into the bathroom, ensuring that the door closed fully before she carried on this conversation with Lila. “Listen, Lila, I hope you know that I don’t hate you. I know it might come across that way-“<br/>“Oh, Marinette, that means so much to me. Yes, I absolutely accept your apology!”<br/>“Wait, apology?” Marinette was confused. “I’m not-“<br/>“It’s just, I don’t understand why you’re so mad at me,” Lila continued, speaking over her. “It’s not because of the new seating arrangement, is it?”<br/>The words sparked some emotion in Marinette, causing her face to betray her, and she turned away to conceal what slipped through.<br/>“It is, isn’t it? Oh my gosh, it’s because I’m sitting next to Adrien. Of course. Because you would have given anything to sit next to him yourself.” In that moment, as Marinette was trying not to let her true feelings show (and failing), she was confused by what seemed to be the genuine emotion of concern in Lila’s eyes. It was so hard to tell with a liar, but then she looked into her eyes. There was a tell-tale glint, one that gave Marinette the chills. One that reminded Marinette of the look in the only image of Hawkmoth that she could remember seeing: the look of a villain.<br/>Meanwhile, Lila was still going through her saccharine drivel. “We shouldn’t be fighting over a boy, it would be stupid to let one come between our friendship. You and I are going to be really great friends, Mari-“<br/>Having had enough, Marinette cut in, “Look, Lila, I’m not interested in being friends with you until you stop lying. I may not be able to prove it, but I know you don’t have tinnitus, or an injured wrist, and I very highly doubt that you know the prince either. You need to stop.”<br/>Any friendliness that was on Lila’s face before faded as soon as Marinette accused her of lying. “So that’s how it’s going to be, Marinette?” Not waiting for an answer, shadows fell across Lila’s eyes as she backed Marinette up against a wall, intimidating her. “Fine. But know this. Now that we’re enemies, I am going to take everything from you. Your seat, your precious friends, and Adrien. I’m going to make you regret crossing me, Marinette.” Lila gave her one of the nastiest glares she’d ever seen, including some of the ones Chloe had given her over the years.<br/>Marinette was frightened. Chills were taking over, and her arms were trembling. Lila’s slow walk to the door was a weird juxtaposition with her heart’s rabbit-pace drumming, and she couldn’t help but feel like everything was crashing down around her, walls, floor, and ceiling. Her breathing became somewhat loud and irregular and she couldn’t control the racing thoughts of panic wreaking havoc through her mind.<br/>Just as Lila reached the door, she turned back one last time. “Oh, and you might as well not even try to fight it. After, all who are our dear classmates going to believe? The innocent new girl,” she said haughtily, gesturing towards herself. “Or the girl who just can’t seem to stop trying to attack me?” With a laugh, Lila spun on her heel and glided through the door with practiced cold grace, leaving Marinette crumbling in her wake.<br/>As soon as the door shut, Marinette couldn’t get into the nearest stall fast enough. Quickly bolting the door, she stood hidden from her own friends, no longer able to control her emotions. Hot, angry tears spilled from her eyes as she sat down on the closed toilet and pulled her legs up to her chest in an effort to make herself as small as possible. Sobs wracked her gentle frame, and she clung to her legs like a life preserver. Unknown to her, the mascara that painted her lashes began to blend with some of the tears, dripping down her cheeks and painting them a streaky black.<br/>At that moment, Tikki emerged from Marinette’s purse, sorrow filling her eyes. “Oh Marinette, I’m…I’m so sorry.” The little red kwami embraced one of Marinette’s hands, trying to provide any kind of comfort for her sobbing chosen.<br/>“What am I supposed to do, Tikki,” Marinette moaned, her voice breaking in a way that broke Tikki’s heart. “You heard her. She’s going to take my friends…” Marinette broke off into sobs again and her kwami could tell this could be dangerous if it continued.<br/>Gabriel Agreste looked up from his latest sketch that he had been working on. He could feel it, the delectable emotions of loss and absolute despair. “Nooroo, we have work to do.”<br/>The little lavender kwami appeared from inside his inner coat pocket, resignation in his eyes as he flew after his master to the secret entrance of Hawkmoth’s headquarters.<br/>“This time, I need an akuma that will obey me, one that will not waver, one that I can control,” Gabriel muttered more for himself as the elevator took him to the butterfly enclosure. Upon reaching the area, he commanded, “Nooroo, dark wings rise!”<br/>In a flash of purple light, gone was the world-famous designer Gabriel Agreste. In his place stood the formidable Hawkmoth, and he had a mission. Stretching out his hand, a single white butterfly fluttered into his grasp.<br/>Hawkmoth cupped it within his hands, pouring the very darkness from his own soul, due to the loss of his beloved wife Emilie, directly into the butterfly.<br/>Pure white wings of hope became the inky pitch of despair. “Fly away, my little akuma. Find the source of this emotion and akumatize them.” Upon releasing the akuma, it fluttered out the only window in the room, heading quickly for the nearby school.<br/>Tikki was no closer to helping her chosen calm down. Marinette was still sobbing, possibly even more so now. Reflecting on the story she’d just told her chosen about one of the previous Ladybug’s, she realized there might have been a slight issue with comparing Marinette’s current position with those that Joan of Arc faced centuries before. “Marinette, I promise that you’re safe. Burnings at the stake haven’t been commonplace for years!”<br/>Marinette looked up at the kwami floating above her. The oily blackness of the mascara had essentially coated her cheeks with lines and blotches of black. But her eyes were probably the most alarming. As Tikki looked into them, she saw none of Marinette’s usual light, kindness, or warmth. Now they were cold, empty. “Marinette, please! I need you to think positive. You’re in danger of being akumatized!”<br/>No response.<br/>“Marinette, I know it’s hard right now, but you haven’t lost your friends yet! You have to fight! Don’t let Lila tear you down, you’re so much stronger than that.”<br/>Out of the corner of her eyes, Tikki spotted darkness. “Marinette, there’s an akuma! Quick, you have to move, you have to fight this feeling! Don’t let it overtake you-“<br/>But it was too late. Like a kiss from the Void itself, the little pitch akuma landed on Marinette’s mascara and tear stained cheeks, quickly dissolving into the mess of black make-up on her face.<br/>Horrified, Tikki watched, waiting to see what would happen.<br/>To say that Hawkmoth was confused was an understatement. He had felt the akuma come into contact with the source of the negative emotions, but as he waited and waited, no familiar butterfly-shaped purple mask appeared before him to allow communication between him and his akumatized minion.<br/>Growing frustrated, he pushed out with his mind, willing his powers to activate. The familiar outline flickered briefly before his face but quickly vanished. Somehow, this victim was still just beyond his reach!<br/>“What could be wrong,” he shouted angrily, banging his staff against the ground. He could still feel the akuma he had sent, but it was as though it was trapped behind some sort of barrier. “Perhaps the negative emotion is not enough?” Calming down a little, Hawkmoth decided he could play the waiting game. ‘No one is immune to despair and sadness; eventually all give in,’ he thought, as he walked over to an intercom on the far back wall and called his assistant for tea.<br/>Marinette looked up at Tikki in confusion. She had stopped crying out of fear of the akuma, but now the akuma had disappeared without a trace. “T-tikki, where is it?”<br/>Tikki could only stare at Marinette with her mouth agape. “Marinette, it…it went inside you…” In all her many millennia, Tikki had never witnessed an akuma entering a person or object without an immediate reaction. ‘Could Hawkmoth be weakening? Or perhaps Marinette is immune to the effects of the akuma?’ Tikki really didn’t understand. Curiously she reached towards Marinette’s mascara-stained cheek where the akuma had landed, testing to see whether she could feel any dark energy.<br/>“Tikki?”<br/>“Shh, Marinette, I need to focus. If the akuma really is inside you, you should have been turned evil by now. I must find out if you’re in danger.” Tikki reached closer, and suddenly, she felt it. “Marinette listen to me. The akuma is somehow inside you. Whatever you do, you must remain calm no matter what. Any spike of negative emotions from you could cause the akuma to activate and take over.”<br/>“But, what does that mean? How is this possible?” Marinette spewed forth more questions like a geyser, each coming out quicker yet more garbled than the last. It was easy for Tikki to recognize the downward spiral of Marinette’s panicking and she knew that, to keep the Ladybug Miraculous and Marinette safe, she needed to keep Marinette safe and out of her own head.<br/>“Marinette, we need to go see Master Fu. The Guardian and Wayzz will know what to do.” Tikki omitted that, if even she had not seen or heard of such a phenomenon in her extensive life span, it was highly unlikely that the Guardian of the Miraculous Box had seen it either.<br/>Nodding, Marinette stood, grimacing at the way her back had been hunched over for so long. Marinette poked her head out of the stall, making sure that no one had been there for any of the goings on. When she saw that the coast was clear, she immediately called out, “Tikki, spots on!” Tikki disappeared into the following flash of pink light and Ladybug appeared.<br/>Quickly, Ladybug used her yoyo to pull herself up and through one of the windows placed high above the stalls for ventilation purposes. Zooming through the air, she grappled her way across Paris, intent on getting Fu’s advice on what to do. All the while she was unaware of the black splotches of her super-suit slowly yet steadily spreading to cover all the red.<br/>Marinette, now untransformed from Ladybug thanks to the cover of a nearby alley, stood before Fu’s residence. On the door, a CLOSED sign hung. Underneath that, an envelope was taped to the door, with her name neatly printed across the back.<br/>Opening the letter, Marinette read the short and to the point message Fu had left her:<br/>Dear Marinette,<br/>I am on a trip to gather medicinal herbs from my home country. Unfortunately, you will be unable to contact me while I am away. I apologize for the inconvenience. While this trip was unavoidable and necessary, it pains me to leave you possibly vulnerable. Be safe and be smart.<br/>-Fu<br/>Clutching the letter tightly, Marinette could feel the panic rising up inside her. Tikki had noticed that the mascara smudges were gone from her face, and her lashes were dark, darker than they naturally were and darker than when she wore mascara. “It’s almost like the akuma moved the mascara back up to your eyelashes,” Tikki had whispered, frightened.<br/>Now, Tikki gently rested on her shoulder, patting her collarbone comfortingly. “It’s going to be okay, Marinette. Just breath deeply; in for 4 long seconds, out for the same. Breath and try not to think.”<br/>With Fu gone, Marinette had no one else to turn to. She made a note to try to get in contact with Chat when she transformed in a bit so that he would be aware of what was going on. Sighing, she turned back the way she came, becoming Ladybug in the alley again.<br/>Checking the time, she realized that if she didn’t hurry, she’d miss class. Lunch would end in ten minutes. Quickly, she grappled back to school, using a precious few minutes to leave a voicemail for Chat Noir to listen to later on the communicator in her yoyo. Making sure no prying eyes were watching, Ladybug became Marinette once more and rushed to class. She got there just as Mlle. Bustier was about to start teaching, slamming the door open and flushing deeply when all eyes turned to her.<br/>Careful not to even look in Lila’s direction, Marinette briskly walked by everyone and claimed her new seat in the back. Perhaps the lesson would go by quickly; the sooner Marinette could legally return home without risking truancy, the better.<br/>Unfortunately, Mlle. Bustier’s lesson passed as quickly as a snail for Marinette. By the time class was over, and everyone was ready to leave, Marinette felt certain that, if the option presented itself, she would like the earth to swallow her whole.<br/>Really, it was no fault of her teacher’s; what really caused Marinette’s distress was how lonely she truly felt and how alone she was. She watched as Alya and Nino practically sat in each other’s laps as they worked together, and, though she avoided looking, she could still hear Lila with Adrien, just casually chatting and carrying on a pleasant conversation. Truly, she was jealous. She wished she could deliver even a single sentence correctly in front of Adrien.<br/>Marinette’s deep sighs throughout the day drew no one’s attention, no one but Tikki’s. The kwami had taken refuge in Marinette’s lap; there was no danger in her being seen due to the privacy provided by being isolated in the back of the classroom.<br/>Gathering her things, she stood and made her way to the door, intent on just going home and taking a nap for an hour. ‘Or maybe a year,’ she thought bitterly, wondering if anyone would actually miss her if she just fell into an extended coma.<br/>In the courtyard blocking most of the walkway, a large group of Mlle. Bustier’s class was gathered, and at the center was Lila. Rolling her eyes, Marinette stood at the back of the crowd, trying to map out the best way to get to the exit.<br/>Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder and Marinette flinched. Turning she found Adrien.<br/>“Sorry, Marinette, didn’t mean to startle you.”<br/>“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine.” Marinette gave him a weak smile.<br/>“Listen,” Adrien began, scratching the back of his head. “I know Lila can be difficult, and I know it probably really sucks to be sitting in the back of the class. I just want to make sure you’re doing alright. Don’t want any winged visitors popping up somehow.”<br/>Marinette could tell he was trying to be nice, so she took the bait. “No, no it’s fine. I’m fine. It’s just really, really hard to know that all of them,” she said, gesturing towards their fellow classmates, “can’t see that she’s lying. I mean, that napkin thing was just ridiculous.”<br/>Adrien paused, apparently unsure of how he should proceed. “Well…I don’t really think that these lies are hurting anybody, Lila’s not hurting anybody, so maybe it’s best if we take the highroad. Eventually, Lila will probably settle down and stop thinking she needs to lie to impress everyone.”<br/>The words “not hurting anybody” struck something deep inside Marinette. ‘Me!! Me,’ she wanted to scream into Adrien’s face. ‘They’re hurting me!’ Currently, Adrien had his eyes on Lila, Nino, and Alya, so he missed the flash of hurt that ran through Marinette’s eyes at his lack of understanding the situation.<br/>Unfortunately, the hurt of Marinette’s feelings being completely ignored by her crush and friend seemed to push her over the edge. A purple butterfly outline covered her face and Marinette immediately collapsed to the ground in a heap like a puppet whose strings had been cut, finally gaining the attention of the boy she so desperately had chased after.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3</h2></a>
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    <p>Adrien was in a full-blown panic. “Marinette,” he cried, running to her side after she crumpled almost lifelessly to the floor. The sight of the purple outline framing her eyes gave him a slight pause. “An akuma?! How did this happen to you, Marinette?” Unsure of what to do, he turned and ran to find someone, anyone he could to maybe help Marinette or warn them of the possible akumatized girl.<br/>Stumbling rather gracelessly through the halls, he caught sight of Principal Damocles just coming out of his office. “Mr. Damocles, sir! There’s an emergency,” Adrien exclaimed as he came skidding to a halt before the portly, crazy-haired man.<br/>“What’s this, Mr. Agreste? What is the matter,” the principal questioned, concern etched into his face.<br/>“Sir, it’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I think she’s been akumatized!” Adrien couldn’t seem to stop shouting, and he could tell from the other man’s wince that it was not appreciated very much. “I was talking to her and had just turned away when I heard her collapse behind me. When I went closer to check on her, the purple butterfly mask that Hawkmoth uses to control the victims appeared on her face!”<br/>“Ms. Dupain-Cheng? My, this is not a good situation. Wait here, my boy.” Damocles turned swiftly on his heel and rushed back into his office, leaving Adrien alone in the halls.<br/>Moments later, the principal’s voice began to echo through the halls of the school. “All students and staff are to evacuate the school. We have an akuma alert. Teachers, please lead the students along the safe exit strategies which have been predetermined based on location. This is not a drill.” The sound of Damocles ending the transmission played. As though tacked on as an afterthought, the principal’s voice refilled the halls. “Under no circumstances are any students or faculty to engage with the akuma; evacuation is priority.”<br/>Adrien stalled, unsure if he should leave now or await Principal Damocles’ return. Suddenly, Plagg flew out from within his inner pocket.<br/>“Kid, what are you standing around for? Did you forget that we have a job? There’s an akuma possessing your friend, so we gotta save her.”<br/>“Oh right, sorry Plagg,” Adrien apologized sheepishly, before turning and dashing off to the nearest empty classroom where no prying eyes would discover his secret identity.<br/>“Plagg, claws out!” Dark green filled his vision, and when he could see clearly again, he was covered in his super suit.<br/>“Don’t worry, Purr-incess. I’m on my way.” And with that promise, he sprinted off to where he had left Marinette.<br/>For the second time that day, Hawkmoth was thrown for a loop by his powers. After waiting so long for the akuma to take over its host, he nearly gave up and was about to recall the dark entity. But then, the same negative energy signature had risen once more, and this time, he could feel the akuma take fully over. At least that’s what he thought.<br/>After the purple mask had appeared before him, he called out to his victim, intent on speaking to them and bending them to his will. Before he could even begin his typical Miraculous spiel, he noticed that his victim was unresponsive. ‘Unusual,’ he thought frustratedly. ‘Perhaps I am the problem?’<br/>Quickly shaking off that idea, he then noticed another peculiar happening. His staff had now shrunk slightly and grown two other sticks protruding perpendicularly from the top and bottom of its length. “Odd,” he muttered to himself.<br/>At that very moment, his assistant chose to tap lightly on the door before letting herself in. “Hawkmoth, I’ve just seen the news. I take it your akuma has activated then?”<br/>“No, Nathalie, unfortunately its not working out,” he sighed, turning to her and lifting his cane to show her the oddity that it had become.<br/>Suddenly, movement happened within the screen-like outline that was still present before his eyes. Eyes narrowing, Hawkmoth slowly move his staff again, this time paying closer attention the world that surrounded his victim. As he lifted and moved the staff, so too did the victim move.<br/>“Sir, perhaps…” Nathalie began, but trailed off, obviously piecing it together from what she could see of the outline. “Perhaps the victim has become a puppet? Your staff appears to have become a control bar for one.”<br/>“Of course,” he breathed excitedly. At last, a truly moldable minion! One who would obey his command alone; this is exactly what he had been hoping for. “Nathalie, the akuma is in the school. Take Gorilla and assure my son’s safety.” Abruptly, he turned away, allowing no further comments from his assistant.<br/>Sighing, Nathalie turned and left to do what was assigned her.<br/>When Chat had reached where he had originally left Marinette, he was shocked to see her now standing. Or perhaps it was the way she was standing which shocked him. From what he could tell, his friend looked limp, as though she were dangling by strings in the air.<br/>Getting closer he noticed another irregularity. Her usually flawless skin looked…different. There were now light brown wavy ring patterns all over her exposed flesh and the flesh itself shone beneath the fluorescent lights. “Princess, are you okay? What’s wrong,” he called.<br/>When no response came, a pit formed deep in his stomach. Currently, her back was more towards him, so he couldn’t see her face. Creeping closer, he needed to make sure that Hawkmoth’s outline was no longer on her face.<br/>However, luck, or rather, good luck, was not one of his many traits. Upon circling closer to her, her body snapped itself around fully, arms raised awkwardly as though they were meant to be intimidating, but they ended up just looking like a 5-year-old trying to mimic karate poses.<br/>Marinette’s face was much the same as it had always been. Beautiful. But now her face looked, false. Painted on even. And black smudges stained all around her eyes as though she had been crying. ‘Perhaps she has been crying,’ Chat Noir thought, taking a defensive position of his own. Her eyes looked glassy and fake, and if her mouth had not opened and spoke that next moment, he might have thought that was a painted accessory as well.<br/>“My, my, if it isn’t the great hero Chat Noir.”<br/>Chat’s entire body froze up at the familiar man’s drawl. “Hawkmoth,” he snarled. “What have you done to the girl?”<br/>“To be honest, I actually don’t know. This…an akuma like this has never been produced before. At least by me. I am in control. However, that hardly matters. Hand over your and Ladybug’s Miraculous’ and the girl will be released.”<br/>“Never, Hawkmoth,” he spat, glancing over his shoulder to see if his Bugaboo were going to make an appearance soon. ‘C’mon, my lady, I really need some help here. I don’t know what’s going on.”<br/>“In that case, allow me to introduce her to you. I know they usually speak for themselves, but this one is quite special.” Hawkmoth’s voice coming from Marinette was probably going to haunt Chat Noir for a long time. “This is Marionette, the ultimate puppet.”<br/>That was the last straw. Chat Noir couldn’t handle the idea of Marinette being so completely overrun by Hawkmoth that she was no longer even in control of her own body. Immediately, he ran forward.<br/>Just before he could grab at her wrist, she was violently yanked backwards through the air.<br/>(that's it, that's as far as I got. If you made it this far, congrats?)</p>
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